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RI FOOD & DINING

We mapped more than 130 great spots to get ice cream in Rhode Island. Find a new favorite.

The Ocean State offers a variety of summer treats to beat the heat, such as ice cream, gelato, and frozen lemonade

The Sacred Cow Scoop Shop and Market, 187 N. Brow St, East Providence.Carlos Muñoz

Long lines around the corner, and wood paneling coming off ice cream shop windows, are surefire signs that summer has arrived in Rhode Island. Across the Ocean State, kids are lining up for banana splits handed to them underneath a pink-striped awning, and families are sitting at picnic tables savoring chilly milkshakes and rocky road.

In Rhode Island, some creameries even make frozen desserts next to the dairy where it sources its milk.

Here are some of the best-known, and most beloved shops around the state (Check the map for dozens more).

Brickley’s Homemade Ice Cream: A family endeavor beginning in 1995, member of the Brickley’s family work the counters at this ice cream shop in Wakefield, R.I. The Narragansett store is under new ownership — Brendan Kenny, a longtime staff member, purchased the business and will operate under Brickley’s until later this year when the name is changed. During its 22 years in business, Brickley’s has been named “Best Ice Cream in South County” by Rhode Island Monthly ever season, and highlighted in regional publications. Rhode Islanders and Massachusettsans say the “homemade, rich, and creamy” ice cream makes it arguably one of the best scoops in all of New England. 322 Main St., South Kingstown.

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Lincoln Creamery: Family-owned since 2015, this ice cream shop has more than 50 different buckets of ice cream sourced in Rhode Island and regionally, including one of the largest selections of soft-serve flavors in the state. The stand is popular with residents of Lincoln, and visitors walking and riding along the Blackstone River bike path. 276 Front St., Lincoln, R.I.

Big Feeling: Look for the ice cream and sorbet shop soon. Big Feeling will open its first ice cream parlor in a 1,600-square-foot space created for ice cream production. 769 Westminster St., Providence.

Tizzy K’s Cereal Ice Cream: The owners of this popular stand on the South Water Street side of the Providence River pedestrian bridge use cereal milk (milk that’s been flavored with cereal) to produce tasty ice cream topped with cereal and Rice Krispies Treats. 365 South Water St., Providence.

A cereal cone from Tizzy K's on South Main Street in Providence.Steph Machado

The Keep: Town residents swear by the ice cream shop in Mendon Plaza whose patrons are guarded by a knight in shining armor (It stands in the dining area). The parlor has more than 30 flavors of ice cream, including small batches of rotating specialties, including Boston Cream Pie and the popular Game of Cones. The store is located next to Cumberland House of Pizza. 2368 Mendon Road, Cumberland.

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Clementine’s Homemade Ice Cream: With three locations, the parlor offers over 25 flavors in sweet waffle cones. As a nod to its namesake, Clementine offers dog-friendly options for the pooch in your family. 62 Wave Ave., Middletown; 2934 South County Trail, East Greenwich; and 1016 East Main Road, Portsmouth.

Warwick Ice Cream: This family-run ice cream company was originally founded as Warwick Milk by Charlie Bucci in 1930. According to the website, he had four sons and a daughter. His three eldest sons were deaf and there was no employment for them at the time. He brought them into the family business and built an ice cream empire. Each flavor is made from scratch. Go to warwickicecreamco.com/find-our-ice-cream to find out where it’s sold..

Sacred Cow Scoop Shop: Not too long ago, it wasn’t unusual to find ice cream shops next to the dairies they sourced for milk and cream, but these days, that’s rare. Sacred Cow is operated by — and right next to — Munroe Dairy in East Providence. The ice cream sandwiches and the hot fudge are homemade, and they offer gluten-free, vegan, and no-sugar-added options, as well as sorbets, plus family-friendly events. 187 North Brow St., East Providence.

Cows adorn the property in front of The Sacred Cow Scoop Shop and Market in East Providence.Carlos Muñoz

Ice Cream Machine Co.: You can’t miss this ice cream window off Diamond Hill Road. Not only is it loaded with homemade ice cream and ice cream pies, but it has a candy store. Constantly busy, the multiple windows make it a quick place to get a cone and find a seat in the picnic area. 4288 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland.

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Helado Taiyaki: Mexican fried ice cream combined with a Japanese dessert. The cone is shaped like a koi fish and served with a variety of toppings, including animal crackers, lit candles, peanut butter cups, and other candies. You also can learn tufting — an ancient form of knitting — during one of the workshops. 102 Dean St., Providence.

Palagis Ice Cream: Not only does Palagis boast America’s oldest ice cream truck (since 1896), but its stand-up ice cream parlor has movie nights. See Facebook or the website for details on events and truck locations. 55 Bacon St., Pawtucket.

Three Sisters: The Hope Street breakfast, lunch, and ice cream counter offers cones that would make the Cookie Monster change his name to Ice Cream Monster. 1074 Hope St., Providence.

Josie's Ice Cream shop is a popular stop at 797 High St. in Cumberland.Carlos Muñoz

Josie’s Ice Cream: The Cumberland ice cream shop on Diamond Hill Road makes it easy to stop off for a cone, or bring your dog. It offers locally made soft serve. 797 High St., Cumberland.

The Perfect Sweet Shoppe: One of the great things about ice cream is the instant joy it brings. By the pint or bucket, ice cream gets you through hard times. 16 Joyce St., Warren.

Mimi & Pop’s Ice Cream Shop: All you need to know about Mimi & Pop’s is that it always has a long line of kids. It serves 24 flavors of soft serve from a window on Broad Street that has big eyes looking in. You can get classic banana splits here. 1306 Broad St., Central Falls.

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Mr. Lemon: The store has been open for 50 years and the owners are taking a step back, but not closing. Mr. Lemon is still available at new hours for cold, cold, cold frozen lemonade. 32 Hawkins St., Providence.

Like No Udder: If you didn’t read the menu, you wouldn’t know ice cream here is cow-free. The vegan soft-serve ice cream is free from all animal products. Check social media to find out where the ice cream truck, Betsy Loo, is hiding. 783 Hope St., Providence.

Len’s Ice Cream Haven: The three-in-one stand also sells hot dogs and seafood. But we’re focused on ice cream and Len’s Ice Cream Haven offers childhood favorites like soft-serve in waffle cones, ice cream bars, sundaes, banana splits, and frozen yogurt. It’s a summertime staple in Slater Memorial Park. 401 Newport Ave., Pawtucket.

Len's Ice Cream Haven, 401 Unit B, Newport Ave., Pawtucket.Carlos Muñoz

Schultzy’s Snack Shack and Dairy Bar: These two shops each have a bit of Ocean State flavor. They’re both located beachside. Schultzy’s is located at 346 Park Ave., in the Island Park neighborhood of Portsmouth, and Dairy Bar is waterside near Monahan’s Clam Shack at 190 Ocean Road, in Narragansett.

Alien Ice: To find ice cream served from a souped-up 1975 P10 Step Van on 22-inch rims around Rhode Island, visit its Facebook page.

Gray’s Ice Cream: Open 365 days a year, ”Because ice cream is good every day,” Gray’s website says, the shop has dozens of homemade flavors. 16 East Road, Tiverton Four Corners.

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Dari Bee: A seasonal classic in a landmark building on the bike path, it’s located at 240 Bullocks Point Ave., in Riverside, a neighborhood in East Providence..

Tell us your favorite ice cream story/place by emailing Globe reporter Carlos Muñoz at [email protected].


Carlos Muñoz can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @ReadCarlos and on Instagram @Carlosbrknews.